Assertive Outreach Occupational Therapist

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We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient‑centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home.

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Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust.

With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

• Assertive Outreach Occupational Therapist
• NHS Af C: Band 6

Main area Assertive Outreach Occupational Therapist Grade NHS Af C: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 333-J-BR-0854

Site Park royal Centre for Mental Health Town london Salary £45,953 - £54,254 per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T) Salary period Yearly Closing 02/08/2026 23:59 Interview date 20/08/2026

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London’s population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond.

We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken.

It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation.

We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.

We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare.

We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles.

For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

• Job overview
• Band 6 Full Time Assertive Outreach Occupational Therapist

Make engagement happen.

Prevent crisis.

Change trajectories.

We’re building a focused Assertive Outreach (AO) offer within our Community Mental Health Hub to reach adults who are at risk of disengaging from care.

If you thrive on meaningful relationship‑building, rapid decision‑making, and real‑world impact, this role is for you.

About the role As an Assertive Outreach Worker, you’ll be the consistent, trusted keyworker for a small caseload, delivering time‑limited, intensive support over a stepped 6‑month model.

You’ll combine clinical skill with creativity and persistence—meeting people where they are, in homes and community spaces across Brent —to stabilise engagement, reduce risk, and prevent crisis.

Main duties of the job

The Assertive Outreach Occupational Therapist will

• Provide assertive, flexible, and persistent outreach, including home visits, community‑based contacts, and phone/text engagement
• Act as a consistent keyworker, building therapeutic relationships with individuals who find it difficult to engage with services
• Work within a stepped 6‑month model of intensive support, transition, and reintegration into routine CMHH care.
• Conduct comprehensive occupational therapy assessments to identify service users' strengths, needs, risks, and goals, supporting recovery and independence.
• Develop and deliver person‑centred intensive intervention plans that promote engagement in meaningful occupations, daily living skills, and community participation.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team (MDT), providing specialist occupational therapy expertise to inform care planning and positive outcomes.

This role requires strong clinical skills, excellent risk management, and the ability to work autonomously in the community.

Working for our organisation

You will be in a friendly and supportive environment, where we encourage personal and professional development.

You will be based within the Community Mental Health Hub within a large multi‑disciplinary team.

There is access to in house and Trust wide training to support you in developing clinical and leaderships skills.

The Occupational Therapy structures within the trust are robust. The in house training plan, as well as great links with local universities, provides ample opportunity for CPD.

We have community mental health hubs based in Park Royal and Kingsbury. The team will work across both sites dependent on need.

• Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Provide intensive outreach and occupational therapy intervention in line with the SOP:

First 3 months

minimum 3 contact attempts per week, aiming for 1–2 successful contacts.

Next 3 months

minimum 2 contact attempts per week.

• Deliver flexible contact through home visits, community meetings, phone calls, texts, and occasional evening/weekend availability.
• Maintain a

“no discharge for DNA” approach, using persistent and creative engagement strategies.

• Build strong therapeutic relationships through empathy, reliability, and trauma‑informed practice.
• Provide continuity and consistency as the allocated AO keyworker.
• Complete and update care plans , risk assessments , and safety plans in line with Trust policy.
• Conduct frequent dynamic risk assessments and elevate concerns promptly.
• Lead on transition planning back to routine CMHH care.
• Ensure timely documentation of all contact attempts, outcomes, and risk assessments.
• Work collaboratively with the CMHH key worker where this is a separate role.
• Deliver meaningful intervention.
• Use therapeutic engagement to support patients to engage.
• Supervision of band 4 support staff.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy.
• Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) registered Occupational Therapist.
• Practice Educator training.
• Member of the Royal College of OT (RCo T).
• Additional training in specialist standardised assessments.

Experience

• Working as an OT in secondary mental health services.
• Experience of working with individuals who are disengaged or hard to reach.
• Managing a defined caseload, including prioritisation and autonomous working.
• Delivering OT assessments and interventions in community settings.
• Experience of proactive, persistent engagement approaches.
• Experience of managing high‑risk and complex cases in community settings.
• Supporting occupational performance through environmental adaptation and equipment provision.
• Working in partnership and co‑producing care with service users and carers.
• Facilitating groups or structured interventions.
• Supervision of OT students / non-qualified staff.
• Experience of working in assertive outreach or similar intensive community based services.
• Experience of trauma‑informed practice.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• Knowledge of OT theory and models (e. g. Mo HO) and their application in mental health.
• Strong communication skills, including engaging individuals with complex needs and conveying sensitive information.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of an MDT.
• Skills in delivering individual and group interventions.
• Ability to prioritise workload and work flexibly in a dynamic community setting.
• Ability to work flexibly and creatively to maintain engagement.
• Ability to work in a culturally responsive and inclusive way.
• Knowledge of the impact of mental and physical health on occupational performance.
• Knowledge and application of risk assessment and management, including positive risk‑taking.
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and their application in practice.
• Confidence in balancing positive risk‑taking with safety.
• Knowledge of research and development principles at graduate level.
• Knowledge and skills in vocational rehabilitation, sensory approaches, and brief solution‑focused interventions.
• Experience working with homelessness or housing instability.
• Experience within criminal justice settings.
• Awareness of housing, benefits, and wider health and social care systems.
• ATTITUDES, APTITUDES, PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Motivated and committed to working in an Assertive Outreach service.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise, delegate, and manage workload effectively.
• Flexible and adaptable approach to working in a dynamic environment.
• Good self‑awareness, with the ability to use initiative and work independently.
• Ability to manage conflict constructively and maintain professional boundaries.
• Willingness to develop knowledge and skills through ongoing learning.
• Ability to take responsibility and demonstrate accountability in practice.
• Act as a positive role model, supporting and influencing the practice of others.
• other
• The ability to move between NHS sites and patients homes as demanded by the job.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work.

Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience.

AI‑generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience.

Over reliance on AI‑generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully.

You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users.

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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